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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27144715">A Moments Repose</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/OtterQuill/pseuds/OtterQuill'>OtterQuill</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hollow Knight (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crushes, F/F, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Light Angst, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Pre-Canon, also hornet being absolute baby, just two queens being a lil gay</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:40:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,389</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27144715</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/OtterQuill/pseuds/OtterQuill</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>White Lady tries to distract herself from the grief and anxieties she has surrounding Hallownest, her husband, and their secret laying at the bottom of the Abyss. When she's interrupted by the arrival of two visitors, she wonders why she so desperately wants the Deepnest Queen and her daughter to stay with her just a while longer.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Herrah the Beast &amp; Hornet (Hollow Knight), Herrah the Beast/White Lady (Hollow Knight), Hornet &amp; White Lady (Hollow knight)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Moments Repose</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The lush foliage of the gardens had always been an escape for The White Lady. The thick leaves and bushes felt as if they shielded her from the grief and anxiety seeping into every aspect of life in Hallownest. The peaceful act of tending to her flowers soothed her, distracting her from the distant ache she felt in her roots; the connection to her Abyss born children that not even the gardens could sever. But tending her gardens provided adequate distraction to the aching in her roots that went straight to her heart. A tree that was meant to produce blossoms surely was missing the act of nurturing them. </p><p>She shook her head, as if disagreeing with her own thoughts. There was nothing to be done. If her mate, the wyrm, truly believed that this was how they would save Hallownest, then what better ideas did she have to argue his? She went to plant another flower, trying to feel the life it held, rather than the impending rot and death at the corners of her and her mate’s rule. </p><p>A gentle sigh filled the silence around her. Her mate. Perhaps that had once meant something, but now, she felt it was just a formality. What he had done to her children, even if out of necessity… Well, how could she not have felt a severing of her affection for him? He was so busy it seemed as well, that she felt she spent more time isolated in her gardens to escape her own guilt and sadness than seeking out his comfort. He was much more the logical sort anyways.  </p><p>The distant thundering of legs from the stagway nearby made the White Lady tilt her head curiously, standing gracefully to greet the visitor. This was her sanctuary, and it was odd that others would know to find her here. Even more curious was when the Queen of the Deepnest stepped off of the stag, her child in tow. </p><p>The White Lady was truthful in that her mate’s dalliance did not cause her as much hurt as she might have once suspected. Like all things these days, the emotions were dulled by a sense of logic and duty, so a fair bargain was hard to begrudge. Sadness threatened to creep into her mind at times, but permitting those feelings long enough to be examined revealed to the White Lady that it was not her mate’s lack of faith to her that caused stress on her heart, but rather, a jealousy of mother and child permitted closeness to one another. </p><p>She was tasked with caring for Hornet from time to time, when her mother was far too busy with her duties as both Dreamer and queen to also supervise the young spider. She assumed that the Queen’s arrival at her gardens was to request just that. She never minded. The act of caring for a young one lessened an ache that had existed for a long time in her. </p><p>“Welcome, Queen and Princess of the Deepnest. How may I help you?” Hornet immediately ran to her before her mother could stop her. She wrapped her little legs around the White Lady, hugging her as she giggled. Herrah approached, gently lifting Hornet back into her arms. </p><p>“Hornet dearest… We must greet royalty respectfully.”</p><p>“But you’re a queen, n’ I do that to you!” Herrah gave a small chuckle. </p><p>“I’m your mother, that’s different.” The White Lady gave the two spiders a soft look. </p><p>“It is alright, Queen of Deepnest. I do not mind. I come here to escape the pressures of royal formalities, I do not concern myself much with them here.” Herrah nodded, setting Hornet back on her feet. Hornet immediately took the opportunity to explore, little feet scampering as she ran through the clearing. </p><p>“If formalities are not required here My Lady, then just Herrah is fine.” </p><p>“As you wish, Herrah. What brings you to these gardens?” Herrah surveyed the garden’s a moment, keeping a watchful eye on Hornet. The Lady’s eyes also followed the little bug, carefully watching for any potential threat. </p><p>“I have a rather busy schedule tomorrow, and I came to request if you would be able to watch Hornet.” Herrah sighed. </p><p>“She does not do well unattended.” The White Lady let out a soft laugh. She realized she could not remember the last time she made such a sound. It felt nice, like a small release of everything she felt leaving her. </p><p>“I understand… I would be happy to care for her as long as you need me to. I have a soft spot for our dear princess.” Herrah’s mask hid the full extent of her surprise, but it was still visible to the other queen. Herrah seemed to notice that the White Lady noticed, and gave her head a small dip. </p><p>“I apologize. I was just surprised to hear that there was not any animosity towards her or myself. But it pleases me to know that you care for her… She is everything to me.” </p><p>Those feelings of unconditional love. The way that Herrah’s eyes stayed on Hornet as they spoke, so that no harm came to her. The tension lying hidden in Herrah’s body, prepared to fiercely defend her daughter, had the White Lady spoken ill of her circumstance of birth. The goddess had felt all of this once, long suppressed by circumstance and duty. But she understood, and it softened her greatly to the other Queen. </p><p>“There is no animosity, and I promise there never has been. I am most happy to care for her,” was all she said. It was much more complicated than that, but a simple promise was all she could manage. Herrah nodded. She seemed pleased to hear this. </p><p>“Thank you. It’s relieving to know she’ll be well looked after.” </p><p>The conversation had briefly distracted both queens, and in that time, Hornet had attempted to climb a tree far too steep for her small legs. A particularly slippery piece of bark sent her tumbling face down, and the resulting thud and wail turned both heads suddenly. The White Lady was able to reach her first, a root reaching to cradle her and bring her towards her mother. The little spider wailed, luckily seeming more scared than physically hurt. Herrah cradled her, soothing her daughter with softness other bugs might not expect from the queen. The Lady suspected she was far more gentle hearted than most realized. </p><p>“Ah, we should be going home. We’ve taken enough of your private time here. I shall meet you at the palace tomorrow to drop off Hornet.” Something about the thought of being left alone amongst all of her plants, none of which offering the same warmth as this queen and her child, made the White Lady’s heart feel like it was sinking.</p><p>“Wait! Or rather, please… Stay a while, let dear Hornet calm down first before you make such a long journey.” The Lady didn’t understand why she had called out so impulsively, nor why it relieved her so when Herrah gave a small, curious nod. </p><p>“Perhaps you’re right… thank you.” </p><p>Herrah settled on the ground, Hornet curling into her lap. The White Lady kneeled, sitting down beside her. She ran a gentle root down Hornet’s back to soothe her. Hornet looked up, eyes wet with tears. Her wailing had calmed, and she shifted in her mother’s lap so her head could rest partially on the White Lady’s. </p><p>“You’re alright, little one. You can rest.” </p><p>Herrah gave the Lady a look of gratitude. She could sense the Deepnest Queen’s exhaustion. Surely with all of her other responsibilities, being an attentive mother was not an easy feat. As the White Lady continued to stroke Hornet’s back and hum a soothing tune, she was surprised by a sudden weight to her side. She could feel the gentle rise and fall of Herrah’s chest against her as she fell into a sleep, using the other queen as a pillow. The closeness brought the White Lady a comfort that she had not thought possible for a long time. Hesitantly lifting another root, she securely wrapped it around Herrah. </p><p>“There. Now you can sleep easily as well.” she said softly. </p><p>“Sleep well, Princess and Queen of Deepnest.” </p><p>She hoped they would visit her in her gardens again soon.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>EDIT:// not super happy with this characterization of WL anymore i definitely feel I wrote her way too sympathetic when I now see her as far more morally grey + selfish/cowardly but I do find her complexities very fun to write so hopefully I'll do better capturing my more updated interpretation of her in the future! Hope u enjoy regardless! // </p><p>This Tree is Gay and There's Nothing You can Do About it. </p><p>I HAVE SUCH CONFLICTED FEELINGS ON WHITE LADY I think she's very interesting to write and I enjoy her characterization here but also. @ her canon dialogue: horrid little tree. ALSO she may be a little OOC to in game WL whoops. Her characterization is slightly based on a headcanon that Broken Vessel was the first vessel created and she got attached to them and made them not-hollow, and when they were discarded because of this she became much more numb/neglectful to the whole ordeal to cope until she became the uh.. rather uncaring version of her we see in game.  </p><p>This is sort of a prelude to a bigger AU fic I have planned, things might get angsty between these two eventually but for now I will provide the HK fandom with the soft wlw content it deserves :')</p></blockquote></div></div>
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